Cruise Ship Kid: Thief At Sea!

by Emma Swan, Katie Saunders (Illustrator)

Jump on board with Silver, the Cruise Ship Kid, in the hilarious new detective adventure series from debut author and West-End actress, Emma Swan.

There's 4 things you should know about me:
1. I live on a cruise ship
2. My name is Silver. Yes, really
3. I've never had a best friend my own age :(
4. I'm definitely not a detective

Somehow, though, I'm now investigating the CASE OF THE MISSING MEGA-EXPENSIVE WATCHES. But, I've got a plan. If I can solve the crime, then surely the kids on board will want to be friends with me. Right?

I've had lots of help (interference) from the Gang, but I won't tell you about them because they are all over 80 and prefer playing bingo to solving crimes.

So, do you want to be definitely-not-a-detective too and help me catch the thief at sea?

THIS BOOK IS:
- 50% crime-solving + 50% friendship = 100% FUN!
- Written in diary form
- Inspired by the author's childhood growing up on an actual cruise ship!
- Filled with doodles, activities and lots of space to scribble!
- Pamela Butchart meets Tom Gates, set at sea.

Genres: Childrens

384 pages, Paperback

Published July 3, 2025

Reviews

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet our MC Silver, she lives on a cruise ship and we are coming along with a tour!


😍 I loved that this wasn’t from the POV of someone just travelling along for one time, no this is about a girl who actually lives on the boat with her mom!
😍 I loved reading about the cruise ship, from the parties to the restaurants to the various people to places that everyone knows and the crew quarters.
😍 The Gang (not criminals, but elderly people who are always on a cruise) were just the most wonderful characters, especially Tommy and Sylvia. I loved that they took Silver under their wings and helped her out, made sure she had someone fun nearby or someone who listens to her.
😍 Pedru and his animal towels (and kind donator of chocolates).
😍 The mystery of the watches! I loved it and I also loved that Silver took her time to search and research, even if it meant some tough decisions in regards to her suspects list.
😍 Seeing adventures on board and off board. Because Silver can also come along to the cities that the cruise ship stops at. From Venice to Dubrovnik to South-Hampton. It was a lot of fun. Especially Venice, because that place is super special to me. Hopefully I can visit it once again.
😍 The cover + the illustrations inside, Katie Saunders did it again! A lot of fun.
😍 The little questions and riddles and the likes that are in the book. It is as if we are just next to Silver, as a friend. Sure, I didn’t fill in anything because it is still a normal book and I don’t like writing in those, but I do love the addition.
😍 While Silver at times got a bit on my nerves, I am glad that she herself knew that she wasn’t doing something right, she felt guilty, and I am also happy she grew as the story continued.
😍 The ending and how everything came together (not just the watches but also the party and the consequences of what Silver has done) were great!

💀 And then there is Yana. She was the cause of me almost dropping the book a few times. Thankfully, she has some good moments, but for most she is an utter little fucking rich bitch who needs to be yeeted into the sea. She was just horrendous. How she treated people, especially those that are working, pukes. Or how she treated Yana and made her feel like crap. Or how she didn’t defend her when those other kids appeared. Yana is terrible.

Despite Yana though I still had fun enough with the book, though the rating is closer to a 4 (thanks to Yana, and Silver’s constant OMG I need to improve (no you don’t)) than a 4.5. For now it is getting a 4.5 rounded up, but I am not sure if I will read the next book.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Tracy Lander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Swan has written a book about something she knows well. She herself spent time on a cruise ship as a child because her parents worked on board.

I've dropped a star simply because of the length; 370 pages is quite long for a MG book. However, I'm hoping that the children will go for this because it is very interactive and well illustrated by Katie Saunders, which will help me argue for them to give it a chance because the story itself is one I think they will enjoy, especially with all the interactive parts. Although I might have to tell them not to write in it but to have a piece of paper!

This is the story of Silver, she 10 and a quarter. She lives on a cruise ship because her Mum is the deputy Entertainments Manager. Her best friends are 'The Gang' - a group of old people from age 80 to 99! They live on board too, as they just sold up and travel the world on the ship from one cruise to the next. But Silver struggles to make friends her own age. She so wants a BFF but it's difficult when the child is only on board for two weeks at a time.

When Yana begins to pay Silver attention she thinks that she should change herself so that Yana likes her more. She tries to copy Yana's posh accent, and drop her Northern one. She buys clothes she shouldn't with her mother's on board emergency card, because Yana says she should. But should you change yourself to make friends?

Yana's rather rude Uncle Seb and his girlfriend 'Paula with a P' have fancy, expensive globe watches which they flash to everyone before being told to leave them on board. Then Paula can't find her watch...then Seb's goes missing too. Silver decides that if she can help get the watches back then Yana will like her more. On the pretence of helping the investigation Yana persuades Silver to do things she knows she shouldn't.
Silver even gets cross with The Gang and forgets about organising Betty's party.
Can Silver find the real thief? Will she work out what friendship really means and who her friends are?

Thanks to Fritha and Usborne books for this early proof copy. Having checked whether it's ok, I will take this to school to see how the children feel about it.
The actual book, it's out on 3rd July.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never given any thought to what it would be like to live aboard a cruise ship, especially being a child. After thinking about it I thought it would probably be quite lonely.
And this is the case for main character Silver, who's friends are all over 80.
Silver is a fabulous main character who creates disaster and fun wherever she goes.
Told in a diary format we follow Silver as she tries making friends, staying loyal to the elderly friends and trying to solve the mystery over the missing watches.
Filled with doodles throughout the book this book is going to be loved by all children both young and old.
There are sections for the reader to fill out. And over the course of the book we learn that it's ok to be ourselves and we don't need to change ourselves for anyone.
This is the first book in a new series that will have you laughing out loud. I can't wait for the next book.
--

[Metaphors & Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un roman original où les lecteurices sont invités à répondre en écrivant dedans pour devenir ami.e avec la protagoniste, qui n’est amie qu’avec des grands-parents, génial haha
La storyline de Silver qui cherche un.e ami.e me parait juste servir à inclure les lecteurices dans l’histoire.
Le ton est comique et léger. On passe un bon moment avec Silver, et le Gang des retraités. Quelques jeux de mots sont bien trouvés et je m’interroge déjà sur leur traduction française (“Why do seagulls fly over the ocean? Because if they flew over the bay, we’d call them bagels.”).
Les illustrations en noir et blanc ajoutent souvent du comique à la narration déjà humoristique.
Le cadre de la croisière est très original.
Sympa.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun! Silver is a brilliant main character and this is filled with detective-y fun! When 2 expensive watches go missing, it’s up to Silver and her friends (?) to solve the mystery! I loved the messages about embracing who you are in this! Loved all the illustrations and the spaces to scribble; I think kids are gonna love this!

[LudmilaM · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cruise ship theft mystery, with life on the cruise ship and looking for friendship at the center. As a fun bonus, the narrator actively interacts with the reader. Interesting and entertaining read, never a dull moment.

[Carys Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cruise Ship Kid is full of fun, adventure and a great cast of characters - especially Silver, our heroine through this mystery case at sea. Young readers will love the interactive elements, and the illustrations really bring this to life. Highly recommended!

[Charlie Sharpe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this book to support Emma as we went to school together and I loved reading it! This is a fantastically well written story in such a fun voice and I’m sure kids are going to love getting to know Silver.

[Angus Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma is a very talented debut author! She has a confident style that instantly connects the reader. The book was full of fun, silliness and life lessons. My no 1 suspect was Yana so the ending surprised me. Very much looking forward to CSK2! I’ll be reading this to my own daughter soon.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful book, as a cruise goer myself I really enjoyed the theme - looking forward to the next one 😄

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious leaves you wanting more, even as an adult 🤫😆

[Amelia Galluzzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot was good, ending suprised me.

Loved the bits where you could write in it.

Looking forward to the next one.




Full review coming soon.

[Kerrie Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

perfect for my classroom! not one I would normally choose to read but I can see why children would love it - fast paced, chatty and shsort bursts.

[Jungva · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun and unique read, I loved it

[Dreximgirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 fab for younger kids